As the Atlanta Home Inspector, I’m always looking for valuable information to share with the home owner that needs to sell their home faster with less hassle. Preston Sandlin does pre listing or what he calls a pre marketing strategy for his home sellers. 

 
I think this is an amazing marketing strategy for the home seller.

David Lelak of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia. 

We are proud to offer our new FREE Home Concierge Services where one call does it all, Satellite, Internet, Cable TV, Home Security, and Phone.  Call 1-866-594-4871 and provide them with access code 1008126.  Call our Free Home Concierge Services to save time, save money and simplify life!
You can also schedule your own home inspection today online.

We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time. 

Also download our free report “How To Avoid The Blind Home Inspector” and a sample of our inspection report.

When you make a written offer on a home, you should insist that the contract state that the offer is contingent on a home inspection conducted by a qualified inspector. You will have to pay for the inspection yourself, but it could keep you from buying a house that will cost you far more in repairs down the road. If you are satisfied with the results of the inspection, then your offer can proceed.

As a home seller I would prefer to go ahead and get the pre listing inspection done a few months a head and then pick and chose those things that I want to repair.  Then I would get an estimate on the other items and adjust my house price accordingly.    Now a lot of folks don’t want to think this way, but the truth of the matter is most buyers are going to have a home nspection done and the details will come out either way, against you or for you.  Which would you rather, a pre listing inspection done before there is a deal on the table or after the deal is there at which point it could scare the buyer off, depending on who your home inspector is.  As a home inspector, I try to convey my findings in a neutral manner, but there are some out there who pride themselves on being an alarmist - deal killer. 

David Lelak of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia. 

We are proud to offer our new FREE Home Concierge Services where one call does it all, Satellite, Internet, Cable TV, Home Security, and Phone.  Call 1-866-594-4871 and provide them with access code 1008126.  Call our Free Home Concierge Services to save time, save money and simplify life!

You can also schedule your own home inspection today online.

We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time. 

Also download our free report “How To Avoid The Blind Home Inspector” and a sample of our inspection report.

I was just wondering around and ran across this great article by Kristi Ghent on Active Rain. Her article states that there are new requirements for the FHA Home Inspection and that you need to have these in place for your home inspection wheather you are buying or selling your home.

David Lelak of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia.

You can also schedule your own home inspection today!

We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time.

Also download our free report “How To Avoid The Blind Home Inspector” and a sample of our inspection report.

The Value of Pre-Listing Inspections
Published by julia | Filed under Buyer / Seller Tips, Market Trends, Miscellaneous, Real Estate

The term pre-listing inspection may or may not have meaning for you. It is exactly what the name implies, a home inspection performed before a house is listed on the market. But why would anyone want to go through all that trouble when the buyer usually has their own inspection? Or worse? What if you have your house inspected and the buyer still has an inspection of their own? These questions are valid, but aren’t as major as they may seem. Changes in the market require changes in thinking. With the way the market has become, any edge over competition should be highly sought after. A pre-listing inspection can be that edge for you. Check out the rest of the story on the pre-listing inspection

I was surfing the web and found this interesting site www.trulia.com for real estate professionals and it is where you can ask a question and the real estate professionals will answer the questions. Pretty neat. I was looking to see if there was any home inspectors on the site and so I did a search and the first thing that came up was the above question. I thought it would be interesting to see what the pros had to say. I checked and there was 27 answers and each one was a yes, it is worth the money. I thought it was neat to see a lot of them say that a pre-listing inspection is a great idea also. Here is the link to that question http://www.trulia.com/voices/Home_Buying/Are_home_inspections_worth_the_money_-4463–

To schedule your own home inspection go to www.ihihomeinspections.com

Prepare Your House for Sale from the Ground Up
(ARA) - The housing sales slump continues. From Sacramento to Detroit to Atlanta, housing sales have taken a dive. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) predicts that a soft market for existing home sales will continue through the first half of the year.

Although home sales remain weak, some homeowners are willing — or are compelled — to roll the dice and plant the “for sale” sign on the front lawn. Whether you’re selling now or decide to settle in while waiting for the housing market downturn to end, a few interior updates can do much to enhance your home’s appeal in either situation.

If you’re planning to put your house on the market, some sprucing up can make your house stand out from the other homes for sale in the neighborhood. By spending a minimal amount on a few easy-to-do updates, your house can take on a new, refreshed look and have greater appeal. Or, if you’ve decided to wait out the housing slump storm, these simple home makeovers can make your current home far more habitable.

New Style at Your Feet

Nothing dates a house more than old, cracking linoleum or an outdated floor pattern. Starting from the ground up, a new floor can lend fresh vitality to a room. With so many choices in flooring available today — from authentic looking wood-grained laminates to nature-inspired vinyl styles such as stone and tile — a homeowner can turn any room into an attractive and comfortable oasis.

“With the new flooring options being offered today, a floor not only can look good, but it can offer added comfort beneath your feet,” says Lise LeBreton, creative director of Tarkett Residential, a leading international hard surface flooring manufacturer. “Today’s flooring offers high performance while being stylish at the same time. If you’re looking to make an easy update while adding value to your home, a new floor can be a quick and affordable option.”

Less expensive than ceramic tile, vinyl — also known as “resilient” flooring — offers an attractive option for a high-end appearance. The newest vinyl styles and patterns feature a wide array of colors, designs and textures while providing added beauty to any room.

In addition to good looks, vinyl’s durability makes it a smart flooring choice. As an example, Tarkett’s FiberFloor resilient flooring provides what consumers desire most – overall warmth and comfort; repels water and moisture; is scratch, scuff, stain and indentation resistant; and is easy to clean.

Other Quick and Easy Updates to Give Your Home Added Appeal

Freshen up with a coat of paint — Once the old flooring has gone, removing that faded wall paper or covering up marred walls is important to make that great first-impression. Consider painting every room in the house to infuse a new freshness into your home’s interior, but first and foremost, be sure to paint the kitchen. A high-traffic area, the kitchen is the one room where the walls usually take an added beating. Use a good quality paint that will cover with one coat and stand up to fingerprints and the occasional food splatters.

Don’t get sunk by the old sink — Old-fashioned kitchen and bath fixtures can attach an expensive price-tag to your house — giving the potential buyer thoughts of impending pricey remodeling jobs. Adding a new sink and faucet to a kitchen or bath can be a do-it-yourself weekend project or a simple and fairly inexpensive half-day job for the local plumber.

Facelift for your cabinets — Re-facing existing cabinets or simply repainting them with a high gloss finish will give your kitchen a sleek new appearance. Add new knobs and drawer pulls and you have an entirely new look overall.

Whether you decide to stay or go, it’s easy to update your current home so it can become an attractive and comfortable dwelling that you come to love and potential buyers just can’t resist.

For more information on Tarkett Residential’s FiberFloor resilient flooring, visit www.tarkett.com.

David Lelak of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia.

You can also schedule your own home inspection online today!
We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time.

Also download our free report “How To Avoid The Blind Home Inspector” and a sample of our inspection report.

David Lelak, an Atlanta home inspector had been trying to help sellers understand the benefits of having their home inspected before putting it on the market.  When people are looking to buy a used car in todays market they go somewhere that has a certified inspection on the car done.  They are quicker to buy a used car from that place than from an individual that has not had their car checked out.  As a matter of fact, if they go to purchase one from an individual they will usually have a mechanic come out and look at it first.  Now a can is not nearly as expensive as a home, and most buyers have become very savy about getting their dream home “Checked Out”.  They want to know that the home they’re going to purchase is not the money pit.  Now this is where the prelisting inspection comes in as a benefti for the sellers.  The buyers see a sign that states “This home Preinspected by IHI Home Inspections” and that automatically gives them a sense of security.  Because of having that sense of security “They are able to Fall In Love With Your Home” quicker and easier.  This helps your home stand out in the market place, and right now you need all of the advantage you can get.